Fourth Of July: The Deadliest Holiday For Drunk Driving Accidents

Posted By
Scott H. Palmer, P.C.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
the Fourth of July is the weekend that sees the most fatal drunk driving
accidents. In fact, 50 percent of all Fourth of July car accidents are
caused, at least in part, by alcohol.

In Texas alone, there were more than 330 DUI-related
auto accidents in 2010. This year, the Texas Department of Transportation increased DUI
patrol on its highways during the Fourth of July holiday in hopes to reduce
that number. Its "No Refusal" campaign (which ran from July
1st through July 5th) led to the arrest of 45 drunk drivers in Dallas
alone and hundreds across the state. This drunk driving campaign was focused
on getting blood samples from drunk drivers who refused to take a breath test.

The first of its kind in the nation, the campaign was successful in reducing
the number of
drunk driving accidents and DWI-related fatalities.

Anyone who has been injured or lost a family member in a drunk driving
accident knows that "accident" is a misnomer. When someone decides
to drive drunk, he or she puts everyone else at risk. Unfortunately, an
injured party must take part in two different types of cases - a criminal
DWI case and a civil personal injury case - in order to hold the drunk
driver fully responsible for his or her actions. The criminal case can
send a drunk driver to jail, but it is the personal injury case that allows
a plaintiff to recover compensation for his or her injuries.

COMMITTED TO LEGAL EXCELLENCE

Over the years, our firm has continued to collect various honors and awards for the outstanding legal representation we provide. Always striving to help our clients secure the best possible results, we believe in going above and beyond the legal call of duty to help our clients win.

*Scott Palmer is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of
Legal Specialization (2005 to present), David P. Housel, Jr. is Board
Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2004
to present).